The church stands in the Boides valley (Villaviciosa), the place
where Alfonso III of
Asturias was detained when he was dispossessed by his sons, and
where there used to be an old convent governed by the Benedictine
Order, substituted in the 13th century by the Cistercians. The
church known as the "Bishops' Chapel" was consecrated on 16
September 893, with seven bishops in attendance, and

Contents

Architecture

The church stands on a classic basilica ground plan with a
triple sanctuary, separating the central nave from the side aisles
with four semicircular arches. At the western end, there are three
enclosures, the central one used as an access vestibule, and two
located on the left and right which may have been used to house
pilgrims. The vault over the central nave, like the one over the
apses, is barreled with a brick ceiling and decorated with al
fresco wall painting, alternating a variety of geometric
designs.

Ground plan of the church

Royal
tribune

The royal tribune is located above the vestibule, separate from
the area intended for the congregation (spatium fidelium) in the
central nave, and this from the area devoted to the liturgy by iron
grilles, now disappeared. Particular elements of this church
include the covered gallery annexed to the southern facade at a
later date or Royal Portico, the 50 cm square columns on the
central naves arches, the triple-arched window open in the central
apse, and the room above it, exclusively accessed from the exterior
by a window which here has two openings, compared with the habitual
three.